Racing Feiock family bonds at speedway

July 27, 2007|By Ryan Deal, American News Sports Writer

Chris Feiock has raced cars for 12 years, and wife Tami has been with him every step of the way. “Before she met me, she maybe saw one or two races,” said Chris, who races in the Super Stock division. “Then after we started dating, she has never missed one since.” The Aberdeen couple has been married for 11 years. “Chris raced (demolition) derby cars and he kind of got me into it,” Tami said. “A lot of friends have been made because of racing.” Tami, whose maiden name is Bitz, is now an auto racing fanatic. “I like the excitement of just being there,” Tami said. “I enjoy watching my kids cheer for their dad, of course, and the other guys that we know.” Tami looks forward to Friday nights at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen. She also enjoys the big feature races, such as the Dacotah Rumble. “I always looked forward to those,” Tami said. “Anything that brings the big Late Model drivers here. They are always awesome to watch.” Chris said Tami is understanding of the time that goes into auto racing. “The biggest thing is the time spent working on the car,” Chris said, “the time that you spend away from your family and just trying to get the car ready. She has always been there for me when I have a bad night, trying to tell me everything is OK.” Tami helps Chris gets things ready for race night. “I try to be supportive, patient and understanding that he has to work on his car,” Tami said. “We take care of things like taking care of the kids and the house. We make sure he has his cooler filled and make sure he has got his helmet and his fire suit. We just make sure he has everything.” The Feiocks have one daughter, Brooklyn (7) and one son, Matthew (5). Their children go to all the races and Chris said they have never missed any of his races. “If you don't have the support of your family,” Chris said, “I don't know of anybody who could do this.” Tami not only enjoys going to the track in Aberdeen, she also likes going to other tracks. “We have hit Watertown as a family and we go to Huron as a family,” she said. “Racing is definitely a family sport for us. He never races without us.” Chris added, “She means the world to me and I really honor her support. You always tell them thanks, but you can never hit it home to let them know how you really feel about it. It is tough to put into words.”